Receiving Holy Communion
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued the following guidelines in 1987 for receiving Holy Communion:
For Catholics:
Catholics fully participate in the celebration of
the Eucharist when they receive Holy Communion in fulfillment of Christ’s
command to eat his Body and drink his Blood. In order to be properly disposed
to receive Communion, communicants should not be conscious of grave sin, have
fasted for an hour, and seek to live in charity and love with their neighbors.
Persons conscious of grave sin must first be reconciled with God and the Church
through the Sacrament of Penance.
For Other Christians:
For Other Christians:
We welcome to our celebration of the Eucharist
those Christians who are not fully united with us. It is a consequence of the
sad divisions of Christianity that we cannot extend to them a general
invitation to receive Communion. Catholics believe that, in the most blessed sacrament
of the Eucharist, the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord
Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ, is truly, really, and substantially contained.
Reception of the Eucharist by Christians not fully united with us would imply a oneness
which does not yet exist, and for which we all must pray..
For Those Not Receiving Communion:
Those not receiving sacramental Communion are encouraged to express
in their hearts a prayerful desire for unity with the Lord Jesus and
with one another.
For Non-Christians:
We also welcome to this celebration those who do not share our faith
in Jesus. While we cannot extend to them an invitation to receive
Communion, we do invite them to be united with us in prayer.
Baptism
A Baptism preparation class is required, as is Registration in the
Parish. Call the Parish Office to register for the Baptism Class
prior to the date desired. Classes are offered monthly in both
English and Spanish. English: 2nd Monday of the month at 7:30pm; Spanish:
the 3rd Saturday of the month , at 1:00pm.
Godparents from outside the parish must provide Sponsor Certificates
from their home parish one week before the scheduled Baptism, verifying themselves as
members of the Catholic Church in good standing. Godparents/sponsors themselves must have
received Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation, be regular participants in the life of their church
and, if they are married, be married sacramentally in the Church. Please refer
any questions to the Parish Office
Adult Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation
- Contact:
- Carolyn Smith (703)273-5369
If, for any reason, you or a member of your family of any age has
not received Baptism, First Communion or Confirmation, various options and classes are
available at St. Leo the Great Church. Please do not hesitate to contact Mrs
Carolyn Smith at the Rectory Office for information.
Marriage
Weddings are held on Saturdays throughout the year after being scheduled by a priest.
You must be a registered parishioner. A six-month program of preparation required by the
Diocese is also mandatory, after first notifying a priest of your marriage plans. Preparation
includes a marriage-preparation retreat, “the Diocesan Conference for the Engaged”
or “Engaged Encounter,” as well as a series of private meetings with a priest. For
other information, please contact the Parish Office and speak with a priest.
Last Updated: Mon Aug 9 2010 4:59 PM
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